quote:

Originally posted by Acer:
My experience with night vision is dated and limited to more primitive versions - but I can’t envision a scenario where night vision would be preferable to thermal.

Seeing animals at night with a thermal is a surreal experience. You can detect animals from hundreds of yards away that you probably wouldn’t notice with night vision - it’s like they are painted with luminous paint. The “glow” draws your eye - not just movement, more like a flashlight moving. I see mice scurrying at night at ranges and in vegetation that I would miss them in daylight.

As mentioned in another response, you need to positively identify your target - as sometimes the outline of a hog may resemble a raccoon or deer or something else. But if you take your time, experience quickly teaches you what to look for.

Thermals make distance estimation difficult (is that a small hog at 20 yards or a big hog at 80???) - but newer versions have built-in rangefinders. Thermals also provide details that help in target selection- as boar bits or sow teats are easily visible at reasonable ranges.

No matter what you end up with, hunting at night is really fun and effective. Read first-hand reviews on individual models. Consult your state regs and enjoy!

Dave